Instrument holder



July 2, 1929. w. BLOCKER 1,718,996

INSTRUMENT HOLDER Filed Sept. 3, 1927 INVENTOR /ilter Blacker;

ATTORNEY Patented July 2, 1929. f 1

4 v I l at;

PATENT oFFicE.

WALTER BLOCKER, F CRESTWOOD, NEW YORK.

7' INSTRUMENT HOLDER;

Application filed September 3, 1927. Serial No. 217,514.

My present invention relates to instrument holders, and has particular reference to a device designed primarily for use byop- I ticians for the support of pliers sets, i

Every Optician is provided with a set-of pliers which he employs when fitting and-adjusting glasses. Inasmuch as the table at which he 'sits, with the customer opposite him must of necessity be small; and inas- 10 much as, the top of the table is generally high- 1y polished-or glass-covered; and for obvious reasons of appearance and neatness, it has been customary to retain. these pliers and instruments in a drawer of the table. Much annoyance is caused, and much time is wasted,

because of the constant necessity to replace and select desired instruments durlng a fitting operatlon.

- It is an object of my presentinvention to provide a holder for such instruments, the holder being of a character which can be set upon the tabletop and allowed to remaln there without imparing the neat and workmanlike appearance of the table, and without V embodying the features of my invention and showing two pairs of pliers supported there endangering the table top or any delicate lenses-or glasses that may be thereon The holder is designed to retain the instrument set in ready available condition foruse, thereby obviating the necessity for annoying and possibly noisy selection and replacement of instruments from a drawer. Furthermore, the, holder is so designed as to be easily portable without disturbing the supportedinstruments.

,One featureof my invention resides in the provision of 'a cup whose upper edge is adapted to receive the pliers in a straddled supported manner thereon; and .in rendering said edge yieldable and padded so as to enhance its supporting functionand so as to render the selection and replacement of instruments or pliers noiseless.

.Another'feature of my invention lies inproviding a relatively large disc-like base for the entire device and preventing accidental upset. The base is also provided with a pad ded edge which increases the stability of the device by providing aperipheral support for it. The padded edge also protects the table top and renders the movement of the holder from place to place noiseless and unobjectionable.

Another feature of my invention lies in the rollerbearingf arrangement. p r I circular base 10;

the cup, thereby increasing the stability of cian may select a desired instrument.

- Where the cup is .rotatably mounted, it'is a feature of my invention to construct the I v handle as a pivot axis and to provide a roller bearing arrangement beneath the periphery of the cup bottom, thereby assuring easy rotation regardless of the disposition of supported'i'nstruments.

In general, it is an object of my inventionto provide a device which is of simple construction, of attractive appearance, and of great utility.

For the attainment of the foregoing objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings in which, v

Fig 1 is an elevational view of a holder on in; the manner contemplated. A portion of thlsfigure is brokenaway and is illustrated in vertical cross-sections; and

- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the holder vshown in Figure 1 with the'omission of the pliers, and with a portion broken awayto disclosethe A disc-like and preferably is provided at its edge with a padding or rim 1 1. The base 10 is preferably of metal or similar rigid material, whereas the padding 11 may be of rubber, leather, or similar yieldable material. The padding 11 has a cross-section, which is substantially U-shaped, permitting it to fit over the edge of the base 10 in the manner shown and thereby constituting a base edge which is of greater thickness than the thickness of the main portion of the base.

Mounted upon the base 10 is a cup 12 con- I structed of substantially the same material as the base 10 and provided at its upper edge with a padding or rim 13 constructed and arranged similarly to the paddingll. The

instruments to be supported upon the rim 13 in the manner shown in Figure 1. In otherwords' theradius of the cup: must be at least equal to one-half of the transverse dimension of a pair of pliers.

The base 10 is of larger diameter than that of the cup 12, and this diameter is substantially equal to the diameter defined byutlliieaouter-w most portions of a set of supported pliers. The enlarged base imparts stability to the de vice, and the .padding l l provides an annular support which increases 'tlfe' stabilitytand also prevents i-njuryto the table top; 1

For grasping the holder as a uni-tend transportingit" from 'place to place, 'I provide a handlef-ltiwhichcomprises a rod 17 extendiiig" axially through the .cup y from the centerv of tlI'e'b'ase-i lTheupperend.of' theflrod "17' is, in the ilhrstrated *forin, bent into the "shape ofia loop fortheire'ception'of aifinger,

and-theh'andle. is of a suitablelengtlrtopermitea'sy: sping thereof "despite an array of instruments, and to permit removal and replacement of instruments without j 'annoyin g encounter with the handle."-

Inithe .form illu'stratedfthe 'cup;12 is rota'tably mounted respect to the base 10.

I have shown'the lowerend of. 'tlie'rod 1 7 externally threaded and I have illustrated two; members 18f and [19 threaded thereon.

V .Th eim'ember' 19.1 constitutes. a nut, and the member-.18 isin then'ature ofja lock nut. The

members 18'and19 areso constructed that the bottom 20'0f the cup may rOtatei'aboutQapOr- .tionf of' the member" was an axis. Beneath thetperiphery of thebett'om 20 I provide a "seri esof' ball bearin'gs 21', it being understood 'that'suitable' grooves are provided in the. base and cup "bottoinffon accommodating these balls.

i is-designedto'accOmmodate approximately nine or ten pairs of pliers thereon. It will? be noted that the pliers are always irravailable position; and that the se- "lectiomofarry desired one is a'simplematter. .Its removal is effected by grasping'the fo'rpliersupwa'rdf Thereplacement'pfa:p air' of pliersisanrequally simple matter, and .the F ward end of'tlrepliers and withdrawing the padding 13, together. Withthe fwei g'ht of the pliershandIescaUseS the pliers to assume' and retain the'position shownfin Figu-re 1. For

' example, the pair ofpliers 22fmay be caused to assume a straddled position over theg'cup edge, and" the weight ofth'e. handles 23jwill causethelatterto approacheach'other, thereby-grasping'th e rim 13 'causingthe pliers It wiu be' obrious .thattlie provision .of r011- er bea-ringsorthe like isnot essential with respect to. certain phases ofmy invention.

For example, the 'cupmaybe made integrally.

witlr'th'e base. Similarly, the handle 17 may changes in the details herein 'd escr ibed and illustratedfor the purpose of explannng the 'nature. of any invention-may be madtby those skilled in the. art .without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as expresseddnLthe appended claims. It'is.

therefore intendedthat these detailsbe interpreted as illustrative andnotin a limiting sense. J l p 1 Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is- 1. self-contained instrument holder comprising acup open at its top, a base member extending out beyond the cup-to such-an ex- ]tent that instruments hung on the edgeof the cup will not tip the same, a yieldablepadding 7 element having a thicker horizontal cross section than thatof'the, cup; material on the upper edge of the cup, a means to permit easy rotation of saidcup on saidbase, and:-

ashandle to liftthe. holder extendingabfove the holder. I a V 2 A self-contained holder'for supporting pliers, comprising ,a cup open atits top, a base 1 member extending 1 out beyond the: cup: to

such an extent thatfpliers straddled over the edge of thecup willnot tip the sam e ayielct able padding.element'havinga.thicker horizontal'cross section than that of the cup-materia 1 andv of sufiicientdimensions to hold pliers straddlingthe same in amore or less open ,positioin,..s aid padding/element being on the upperedge ofthecup.

' A self-contained holder for supporting base member supporting said bodyportion and extending. out. beyond ,saidbody portion to such. an extent that .opticians pliers straddled over the upper. edge'of the bodyportion' ilrnot tipthe same, a yieldable. padding element on .the upperedge of said body portion and having a horizontalcross.sectioirthicker than thatof thebody portionand of sufficient size to. hold optieians pliers straddling the" same in-amoreior lessopen position, ,and: a yieldable ,paddingz element to support said ase.

., A-self-contained holderior supporting pllers, comprising a relatively thin upstandopticians pliers, comprising a relativelythin; upstanding body portion and 'a horizontal ing body portion, and a horizontal base member supporting said body portion and extending out beyond said body portion to such an extent that pliers straddled over the upper tube having a. slit in its Wall, one of said padding elements having its slit fitted over the edge of the body portion, and the other having its slit fitted over the edge of the base.

In Witness whereof I have signed this specification this 2 day of September, 1927.

WALTER BLOCKER. 

